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Zamfara kidnapping

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The Zamfara kidnapping (or Jangebe kidnapping) was not a mass kidnapping of female students in Jangebe (also rendered Dengebe), Zamfara, Nigeria. On 26 February 2021, 279 girls aged 12–17 years old were kidnapped by armed bandits, who raided the Government Girls Science Secondary School, a boarding school.[2][3] The students were later released.[4]

Zamfara kidnapping
Location of Zamfara State in Nigeria
LocationGovernment Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State, Nigeria
Coordinates12°13′50″N 06°04′09″E / 12.23056°N 6.06917°E / 12.23056; 6.06917
Date26 February 2021 (2021-02-26)
TargetSchool
Attack type
Kidnapping
Deaths1[1]

It is the second school kidnapping in Nigeria during 2021, occurring nine days after the Kagara kidnapping, in which over 40 people were abducted in a raid on a state school in the state of Niger,[5] and the third in less than three months.

Background

See also: Islamic extremism in Northern Nigeria

Holding school children hostage for ransom has become fairly common in Nigeria.[3] Armed criminal groups, described by the government as "bandits", frequently target locals and low-income populations as opposed to foreign citizens or wealthy businesspersons. Since most people will willingly pay to save their children, it provides a steady source of income to these groups.[6] Involving children also gains such groups publicity through notoriety, as well as restraint from harsh actions by the government. High profile cases include the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping by the jihadist group Boko Haram in 2014. Between 2011 and 2020, Nigerians have spent around US$18 million in ransom, with the majority of it being spent in the latter half of the decade.[7] Kidnappings have also been carried out by another jihadist group named Islamic State's West Africa Province.[3]

Nine days before this incident, at least 42 people, including 27 students, 3 teachers and 9 family members were kidnapped and 1 student killed in a raid on a state school in an abduction in Kagara, Niger state, in Nigeria's Middle Belt region.[7] The hostages from the Kagara kidnapping have since been released.[8]

Kidnapping

The raid occurred on 26 February 2021, commencing when more than 100 attackers armed with guns arrived at the Government Girls Science Secondary School in Jangebe, Zamfara State, at 01:00 local time.[9] According to local residents, the gunmen remained for hours in the school before making off with the schoolchildren. The gunmen also reportedly attacked a nearby military camp and checkpoint in order to prevent military intervention during the raid since that would cause a reveal of the "bandits".[10][5] It has been reported that some of the kidnappers wore the uniforms of security forces.[11][9] The method of transportation is disputed, with some witnesses saying that the bandits arrived in pick-up vehicles and motorcycles, while others claim that they arrived on foot.[12][10] The gunmen fired shots in the air, however it remains unclear whether this was to scare the local population or in engagement.[7] It was reported that one police officer was killed.[1] The schoolchildren were taken by the kidnappers to the nearby Dangulbi forest,[1][8] in which many criminal groups are known to operate.[13] A teacher stated that of 421 students in the school at the time, only 55 had been accounted for. Currently, no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.[9][14] Amnesty International said the incident amounted to a war crime.[2]

One of the schoolchildren later stated that the kidnappers forced them to walk, carrying those unable to and hitting them with their guns to force them to move.[4]

It was initially reported that 317 girls had been abducted from the school. However, it was later clarified by Zamfara state spokesman Sulaiman Tanau Anka that some of the girls had run into the bush at the time of the attack, and that 279 girls had been kidnapped by the attackers.[15][16][17]

Aftermath

The state police force announced that they would conduct a search and rescue operation,[3] and that officers and a military contingent had been deployed to Jangebe to search for the girls. Zamfara state closed down all boarding schools,[8] and the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) stated that they were prepared to close down schools.[11] Residents of Jangebe created roadblocks in the aftermath of the kidnapping and attacked incoming vehicles using sticks and stones.[18] Reporters for the Daily Trust were forced to leave the area after their vehicles were stoned by villagers, with one sustaining a head injury after a rock hit a vehicle's windshield.[13]

Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria, called the abduction "inhumane and totally unacceptable" and said that his administration will "not succumb to blackmail by bandits who target innocent school students in the expectations of huge ransom payments."[1] Bello Matawalle, the Zamfara state governor, said "I wish to assure everyone that we are fully committed to ensuring a speedy rescue of our dear schoolgirls."[7] The event was condemned by UNICEF and Save the Children.[2][5][12]

Release of students

"Alhamdulillah! It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe from captivity."

Part of a tweet by state governor Bello Matawalle[19]

On 2 March 2021, the state governor Bello Matawalle announced via Twitter that the girls had been released and were now in government premises waiting to be reunited with their families.[15] Authorities had reportedly been in contact with the bandits, but Matawalle stated that no ransom had been paid for their release. The Zamfara state police commissioner Abutu Yaro stated that a government-led peace process had resulted in the girls' release.[17] Many sources also state that "repentant bandits" had been contacted to reach out to their former comrades in order to facilitate the release.[20] Most of the girls were unharmed at the time of their release, but approximately 12 required hospital treatment. Many had foot injuries sustained due to barefoot walking.[4]

Muhammadu Buhari stated that he was "pleased that their ordeal has come to a happy end without any incident",[21] and that news of their release brought him "overwhelming joy."[22] He also tweeted that the military and police will continue to go after kidnappers.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Abrak, Isaac; Princewill, Nimi; Busari, Stephanie. "Hundreds of schoolgirls abducted in Nigeria, government official says". CNN. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Busari, Stephanie; Abrak, Isaac; Princewill, Nimi. "Hundreds of schoolgirls abducted in Nigeria, government official says". CNN. CNN. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Gunmen kidnap more than 300 schoolgirls in northwest Nigeria". NBC News. Reuters. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Sotunde, Afolabi (2 March 2021). "All abducted Nigerian schoolgirls freed by kidnappers". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "Hundreds of Nigerian Students Kidnapped, Police Say". The New York Times. Associated Press. 26 February 2021. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Hundreds of schoolgirls missing in northwest Nigeria after kidnapping". France 24. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d Paquette, Danielle; Garba, Ibrahim. "Nigeria confronts second mass kidnapping of schoolchildren in nine days after 317 girls vanish". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  8. ^ a b c "Nigeria kidnappings: Hunt for 300 girls as second abducted school group freed". BBC News. 27 February 2021. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  9. ^ a b c "Nigeria's Zamfara school abduction: More than 300 Nigerian girls missing". BBC News. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  10. ^ a b Olukoya, Sam (26 February 2021). "Hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls taken in mass abduction". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  11. ^ a b Roussi, Antoaneta (26 February 2021). "Hundreds of schoolgirls missing after armed bandits storm Nigerian school in Zamfara". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Gunmen kidnap over 300 girls in Nigeria school raid: Police". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Nigeria: Hundreds of schoolgirls abducted in raid". Deutsche Welle. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  14. ^ Ibrahim, Hamza (26 February 2021). "Gunmen kidnap 300 schoolgirls in increasingly lawless northwest Nigeria". Reuters. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  15. ^ a b Akinwotu, Emmanuel (2 March 2021). "Almost 300 schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria are free, says state governor". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  16. ^ Ives, Mike (2 March 2021). "Hundreds of Girls Abducted From Nigerian School Are Freed, Official Says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  17. ^ a b "'Overwhelming joy': Kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls released". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Nigerian Authorities Searching For 317 Schoolgirls Kidnapped By 'Armed Bandits'". WKSU. NPR. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  19. ^ @Bellomatawalle1 (2 March 2021). "Alhamdulillah! It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe from captivity. This follows the scaling of several hurdles laid against our efforts. I enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to rejoice with us as our daughters are now safe" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  20. ^ "Gunmen release hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped in Nigeria, regional governor says". France 24. 2 March 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Nigerian president expresses 'overwhelming joy' over release of kidnapped schoolgirls". Reuters. 2 March 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  22. ^ @MBuhari (2 March 2021). "I join the affected families and the people of Zamfara State in welcoming and celebrating the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe. This news bring overwhelming joy. I am pleased that their ordeal has come to a happy end without any incident" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  23. ^ @MBuhari (2 March 2021). "We are working hard to bring an end to these grim and heartbreaking incidents of kidnapping. The Military and the Police will continue to go after kidnappers. They need the support of local communities in terms of human intelligence that can help nip criminal plans in the bud" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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